Columbus manager has no regrets spoiling Trevor Bauer's no-hit bid

Pitching Tuesday night for Triple-A Columbus vs. Charlotte, Indians right-hander Trevor Bauer came within one out of throwing a no-hitter when his manager removed him from the game.

This was in the first game of a doubleheader, and minor-league doubleheader games are seven innings long. So with two outs in the top of the seventh and his team leading, 2-0, Bauer, who hit the first batter on an 0-2 pitch and walked the second batter, was removed from the game by Columbus manager Chris Tremie, even though Bauer was still working on a no-hitter.

The reason? Bauer had walked four batters, hit four batters, thrown a wild pitch and thrown 107 pitches overall.

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So Tremie brought in reliever Preston Guilmet, and Charlotte then scored four runs with two outs to win the game 4-2.

"I've taken out guys before without them giving up any hits," Tremie told the Columbus Dispatch. "(Bauer) had a great outing. We have certain things we look for in the best benefit for all our pitchers. We had our closer available and that's the decision I went with."

"You always want to finish it, but it is what it is," Bauer, who struck out seven, told the Columbus Dispatch. "I was inconsistent. My command wasn't there and my velocity wasn't there. I didn't know how many pitches I had. I was mad that I hit another guy, especially on an 0-2 pitch. You never want to do that. A whole game of command issues like that wears on you and it's frustrating."

Indians manager Terry Francona wasn't overly concerned by the control issues of Bauer, who is a candidate to be recalled and start one of the games of the Indians' doubleheader with the Yankees on Monday at Progressive Field.

"He's still developing. That's all part of it for a 22-year-old pitcher," Francona said. "Nobody is a finished product at that age."

In four starts at Columbus, Bauer is 1-0 with a 2.55 ERA. In 24 2/3 innings, he has allowed 15 hits with 31 strikeouts, 10 walks, and he has hit five batters. Opposing batters are hitting .185 against him.